story: Living in a foreign culture can be exciting, but it can also be confusing . A group of Americans who taught English in other countries recently discussed their experiences. They decided that miscommunications were always possible, even over something as simple as"yes"and"no". On her first day in Micronesia, an island in the Pacific, Lisa thought people weren't paying any attention to her. The day was hot. She went into a store and asked, "Do you have cold drinks? "The woman there didn't say anything. Lisa repeated the question. Still the woman said nothing. She later learned that the woman had answered her: She had raised her eyebrows , which in Micronesia means"yes". Jan remembered an experience she had in Bulgaria, a country in Europe. She went to a restaurant that was known for its cabbage. She asked the waiter, "Do you have cabbage today? "He nodded his head. Jan waited, but the cabbage never came. In that country, a nod means"no". Tom had a similar problem when he arrived in India. After explaining something in class, he asked his students if they understood. They answered with many different nods and shakes of the head. He thought some people had not understood, so he explained again. When he asked again, they did the same thing. He soon found out that his students did understand. In India, people nod and shake their heads in different ways depending on where they come from. You have to know where a person is from to understand whether they mean"yes"or"no".
questions: Where did Lisa talk about?
questions: and what is that?
questions: what did she think?
questions: what did she ask the woman?
questions: how did the woman reply?
questions: Did she move anything?
questions: what?
questions: what does that mean in that country?
questions: Where did Jan talk about?
questions: where is that located?
questions: What did she ask?
questions: how did the server respond?
questions: does that mean yes or no there?
questions: Where did Tom have his experience?
questions: what did he ask his students?
questions: how did they respond?
questions: did Tom misunderstand the response?
questions: did his students understand?
questions: do head shakes and nods mean the same thing in India?
questions: what do all these people I've mentioned do in common?
answers: Micronesia
answers: On her first day in Micronesia, an island in the Pacific
answers: an island in the Pacific
answers: Micronesia, an island in the Pacific
answers: people weren't paying any attention to her
answers: Lisa thought people weren't paying any attention to her
answers: Do you have cold drinks?
answers: She went into a store and asked, "Do you have cold drinks? "
answers: She didn't say anything
answers: The woman there didn't say anything.
answers: yes
answers: She had raised her eyebrows
answers: her eyebrows
answers: She had raised her eyebrows
answers: yes
answers: She had raised her eyebrows , which in Micronesia means"yes"
answers: Bulgaria
answers: Jan remembered an experience she had in Bulgaria,
answers: Europe
answers: Jan remembered an experience she had in Bulgaria, a country in Europe.
answers: Do you have cabbage today?
answers: She asked the waiter, "Do you have cabbage today?
answers: He nodded
answers: He nodded 
answers: no
answers: In that country, a nod means"no".
answers: India.
answers: Tom had a similar problem when he arrived in India. 
answers: if they understood
answers: he asked his students if they understood.
answers: different nods and shakes of the head
answers: They answered with many different nods and shakes of the head
answers: yes
answers: He thought some people had not understood, so he explained again.
answers: yes
answers: He soon found out that his students did understand
answers: yes
answers: He soon found out that his students did understand. In India, people nod and shake their heads in different ways depending on where they come from
answers: They experienced different cultures
answers: You have to know where a person is from to understand whether they mean"yes"or"no".